when did you switch to underwear full-time?

[lisavark]

I'm wondering whether I should be working up my courage to use underwear all the time on outings. DD is 18 months old and has been diaper-free at home since 12 months. We use trainers when out and about. She very rarely has a miss during the day. She was dry for a while at night, too, but teething messed that up, so we're back to pockets at night for a while. Anyway, I wonder whether there's any advantage (other than bragging rights and the cheapness/ease of laundry with underwear, lol) to switching to using underwear in public. I guess she has a daytime miss maybe once a week, and it's usually at home. It's hardly ever poop, although I do remember her pooping at playgroup not too long ago--maybe a month ago or so.

My biggest issue is, is it worth it to risk having a puddle on the floor somewhere in public? I do sometimes go out with her in underwear because I forget to change her before we go...and it's kind of a pain to change her into trainers, since I usually dress her in underwear at home. Also I don't have that many trainers, while I have tons of underwear (it's so cheap! ), so if I'm going to keep putting her in trainers in public for a while, then I probably ought to buy some more. It would just be easier for me to dress her in underwear all the time. But I worry about people's reactions. Nobody expects to see an 18 month old in underwear, and if she ever did have a miss--which, let's face it, is going to happen--then I imagine I would get really nasty reactions if it happened somewhere like the grocery store or the bookstore. And I think the YMCA childcare people might have a fit. I keep her dry pretty much by timing; she rarely asks to go, so if I'm not paying attention or I get lazy or whatever, she's probably going to have a miss. So what do you all think? Should I keep putting her in trainers out of politeness? (And therefore buy a couple more trainers so I have a larger rotation? ) Or should I make my life easier and just use underwear, and brave the criticism of strangers?

[blackbird2]

I have a 15 month old and struggle with the same question. But, my DH could care less about the criticism of strangers and the LO generally prefers padded undies (not-waterproof) to diapers, so we are out and about in undies more and more.

[emmaegbert]

do it, who cares if a toddler has an "accident" anyway?

lol my husband just walked in and said that our almost-6yo neighbor peed in the middle of the sidewalk (on purpose) and my son started talking about the "pee hideout" where he and his friend pee in the bushes.

[theboysmama]

I had a lot of the same concerns w/ my dd. We have had systemic yeast since she was 3 wks old and it causes a diaper rash on her bum. The rash can get pretty bad if she isn't in something that is breathable. We went on vacation and were using disposable pull ups (3 wk camping trip) and she was only having a couple misses a day but was getting a bad rash bcs she got so sweaty so the last day on our way home we just put her in the car seat on a pre-fold. She stayed dry all day so we did it once we were home and her rash got tons better. We started taking her out in undies right away (about 7 months). I find that the misses she has are usually at home when I am cooking or not paying attention to her
She has had a few misses while out (no poo thank goodness) and we have not had any negative reactions. People are usually just so shocked that she is in undies that they don't really have anything at all to say. I keep a pre-fold around so others can hold it under her if they are holding her. She isn't very mobile yet (moves very small ammounts by scooting on her bum or army crawling) so it might not be the same since your kiddos are walking around but the misses have been very manageable so far and her rash is so much better. It is just easy all around. She is still in pull ups at night and occasionally I put a trainer on her if we are getting in the car and I KNOW she has to pee and she just won't go or if I know I won't be able to take her (at my kids IEP meeting, etc.) but it isn't often and she usually waits until I take her anyways.
I say if YOU want to go for it and you think your dd is ready then don't worry about other people. Do what is best for your family. Maybe bring a spray bottle w/ something in it (prob. doesn't matter what, vinegar and water, bac out or something like that) and just spray down the area and use a pre-fold or rag and then put it in a wet bag. That way it will look like you are being pro-active. Generally I think people will just be impressed that you are going so out of your way to train her so early.
good luck

[lisavark]

Ooh, thanks; I love the portable bac-out idea! My new "diaper bag" will have a change of clothes, a prefold and wet bag, and a little spray bottle of bac-out. LOL.

Ah, but I was hoping you gals would give me a good excuse to buy some more EC store trainers...those things are so darn cute...

[gingerbane]

We started underwear while out at 16 or 17 months. She has had a couple of outdoor misses but it's never been a big deal.

[riboflavin]

When we started doing underwear for outings with DS1 he had a miss in the store. That was the last miss he ever had (not including very rare moments like when DS2 was born)! I think some kids might feel embarrassed by it and also physically uncomfortable (we couldn't change him immediately because we left change of clothes in car). So that public miss was totally worth it for us! I'm sure many wouldn't be that lucky though, but worth a shot.

Maybe just try it for certain outings right after she has already peed/pood?

Then maybe continue the trainers for times like the YMCA until you are more confident in public.

[pixiepunk]

i've been debating this myself lately, in fact i think i may have posted a thread about it a couple of weeks ago. in the end i decided that we're going to stick with trainers for awhile longer while out and about (DD2 is 16 .
months). She still has to wear trainers when she is in the daycare where i work, they're not comfy yet with undies and that's one of the only places she still has an occasional miss. and i figure if she's got to wear them there, it's easier to just make it a rule that we wear them when we're out of the house, because otherwise she will protest them too much if she only has to wear them to the daycare (she's only in there a total of about 4-5 hours a week, only about 1.5 hrs at a time). so that's what we're sticking with for now. fwiw, we also use the EC Store waterproof trainers and they rock!

so i'm giving it another couple of months, and we'll see how she does. if we get through the holidays with no misses at daycare, i'm going to ask them if we can start the new year in undies. she'll be 20 months on Jan 2nd. so that's my big plan. we'll see if she cooperates with it i'm certainly willing to ask the daycare about undies earlier if she just stops having misses completely, yk.

[majormajor]

i would say keep her in trainers for the time being. i switched DD1 to regular undies when she started telling me when she had to go. trainers are so close to underwear IMO, so it's no big deal to use them. it's not like you're deciding whether to ditch the sposies, KWIM?

that said, your DD will probably have a miss eventually, all kids do. i remember one time my DD peed in a highchair at the diner, i was so embarrassed, and afraid people would blame me for having a baby (she was about 18 months) not in diapers. but everyone was cool about it. it happens, and there are lots of cultures that have kids out of diapers at 18 months (i was in a very multicultural area at the time, i think that really helped). and if people get pissed at you, well, that's their problem.

but, if your DD likes regular underwear better, then i'd go with that.

[lisavark]

My DD generally doesn't care--it's just that I usually put underwear on her at home, so it's easier not to change her before we go out. So I've started trying it occasionally; we've gone to the playground several times and to the bookstore once in undies! So far, no misses in public...lol.

But today she *insisted* on wearing a diaper to go to the zoo. Not trainers, but an actual, bulky, AIO diaper. I think it's either because it's bright pink or just because she was wearing it overnight. DH told her to "go get some underwear" to put on, and she came back with that. The funniest part is I was trying to get her to wear underwear instead: "Here, baby, don't you want to wear this underwear and this pretty skirt? Won't that be more comfortable?"

"NO!" said DD, pushing the underwear away, and patting her diaper happily to indicate she wanted to wear that.

And then I realized I was trying to convince my 18 month old to wear underwear instead of diapers, and all my friends are fighting their 20 month olds to get a diaper on. And I cracked up laughing and chalked up another funny EC moment.

And, of course, let her wear the diaper. But I told DH to try to get her to pee at the zoo so she doesn't wet the diaper. I'd hate to have to wash one of my "overnight" diapers because of a little morning pee...

[hrsmom]

Originally Posted by lisavark

But I told DH to try to get her to pee at the zoo so she doesn't wet the diaper. I'd hate to have to wash one of my "overnight" diapers because of a little morning pee...

That is hilarious! I can totally relate!